Isaiah 40 11

Isaiah 40:11 kjv

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

Isaiah 40:11 nkjv

He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.

Isaiah 40:11 niv

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

Isaiah 40:11 esv

He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

Isaiah 40:11 nlt

He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
He will carry the lambs in his arms,
holding them close to his heart.
He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

Isaiah 40 verses

Isaiah 40 11 Meaning

Isaiah 40:11 beautifully portrays God's compassionate, intimate, and powerful care for His people. It pictures the Lord as a perfect Shepherd who provides watchful guidance and tender protection, particularly for the most vulnerable among His flock. This verse brings immense comfort, assuring that God's leadership is not only mighty but also characterized by profound gentleness and personal attention, actively gathering, carrying, and patiently leading each member according to their individual needs.

Isaiah 40 11 Context

Isaiah 40 initiates a new section within the book, often called the "Book of Comfort" or the "Second Isaiah" (chapters 40-55), spoken to God's people suffering in Babylonian exile. Following messages of judgment (chapters 1-39), this chapter opens with an urgent command to "Comfort, comfort My people!" (Isa 40:1). The people faced despair, questioning God's presence and power. The surrounding verses speak of God's unmatched majesty, power, and eternal word, contrasting sharply with human frailty and the impotence of idols. Verse 11, therefore, serves as a profoundly tender and personal assurance of God's character and intention, illustrating that this almighty, sovereign God is also intimately attentive and compassionate, especially towards those who feel most abandoned and vulnerable. In the ancient Near East, the shepherd imagery was a powerful and common metaphor for leadership, kingship, and divine care, with gods often depicted as shepherds. Isaiah’s use of this imagery for Yahweh directly contrasts with the often-harsh or neglectful rule of human kings and the non-existence of other deities, affirming that Yahweh alone is the true, benevolent Shepherd.

Isaiah 40 11 Word analysis

• He will tend (יִרְעֶה - yir'eh):

  • Meaning: To pasture, to feed, to graze, to rule, to lead as a shepherd.
  • Significance: This single Hebrew verb encapsulates the full range of a shepherd's duties – feeding, guiding, protecting, leading. It implies continuous, comprehensive, and attentive care. God does not merely observe; He actively ministers to His flock's needs.

• His flock (עֶדְרוֹ - ʿedro):

  • Meaning: His flock, his congregation, his sheep.
  • Significance: Denotes God's people. The term signifies a community under one owner/leader, highlighting a collective identity yet also individual membership.

• like a shepherd (כְּרֹעֶה - kero'eh):

  • Meaning: In the manner of a shepherd.
  • Significance: This simile is crucial. It draws upon an image deeply familiar in ancient agricultural societies, evoking immediate understanding of protective, guiding care, often at personal risk. It's a standard by which all good leadership was measured.

• He will gather (יֶאֱסֹף - ye'esof):

  • Meaning: To gather, to collect, to assemble.
  • Significance: This implies an active, intentional drawing together. In the context of exile, it points to restoration and reassembly from dispersion, overcoming scattering and loss. It suggests careful retrieval.

• the lambs (טְלָאִים - ṭela'im):

  • Meaning: Lambs, young sheep.
  • Significance: The most vulnerable, fragile, and helpless members of the flock. They are entirely dependent on the shepherd for survival. This emphasizes God's specific concern for the weakest and most defenseless.

• in His arms (בִּזְרֹעוֹ - bizro'o):

  • Meaning: In His arm/forearm.
  • Significance: Conveys strength, protection, and security. It is an image of being held close, guarded from harm. The arm also symbolizes power and might, suggesting that God's protection is absolute.

• and carry them (יִשָּׂא - yis'sa):

  • Meaning: To lift, to carry, to bear.
  • Significance: Highlights burden-bearing and personal intervention. The Shepherd actively bears the weight of the young and weak, indicating empathy and support for those unable to keep pace.

• in His bosom (בְּחֵיקוֹ - bᵉcheiqo):

  • Meaning: In His bosom, in His lap.
  • Significance: The deepest point of intimacy and affection, near the heart. It signifies warmth, comfort, love, and utter security. This is not just physical carrying, but cherished closeness.

• and gently lead (יְנַהֵל - yᵉnahël):

  • Meaning: To lead gently, to guide slowly, to conduct, to manage.
  • Significance: Indicates patient, considerate guidance tailored to specific needs. The shepherd adjusts the pace to the slowest and most frail, showing a deep understanding of limitations and avoiding any force.

• those that are with young (עָלוֹת - ʿalot):

  • Meaning: Those suckling, nursing ewes, pregnant sheep, mothers with dependent young.
  • Significance: These are the ewes that are slow, often needing rest or extra time. They represent a group that requires special consideration due to their delicate condition or the needs of their offspring. God's care extends to accommodating such needs.

Words-group Analysis:

• "He will tend His flock like a shepherd": Establishes the core metaphor of God as the caring Shepherd. It encompasses His role as provider, protector, and guide for His entire community, assuring a perfect leadership model that stands in stark contrast to human or false gods. This is a promise of complete, attentive governance.

• "He will gather the lambs in His arms": This phrase emphasizes God's proactive rescue and strong protection for the most vulnerable. "Gathering" suggests drawing back the scattered and weak, while holding them "in His arms" conveys security, power, and an embrace of strength against any harm, specifically for the innocent and defenseless.

• "and carry them in His bosom": Extends the previous image by adding intimacy and affection. To be carried "in His bosom" means to be held not just safely, but dearly and tenderly, right next to the heart. It highlights God’s profound love, warmth, and personal connection to the lambs, providing ultimate comfort and security.

• "and gently lead those that are with young": Focuses on God's adaptive and considerate guidance. "Gently lead" (יְנַהֵל) signifies a pace adjusted for weakness, not a hurried drive. "Those that are with young" represents any within the flock with special burdens or conditions, affirming God's patience and specific accommodations for those requiring extra care or moving at a slower pace due to their responsibilities or physical state.

Isaiah 40 11 Bonus section

The progressive nature of the care described is striking: from broadly "tending the flock," it moves to specifically "gathering the lambs" in "arms," then with greater intimacy "carrying them in His bosom," and finally adapting to the specific needs of "those that are with young" by "gently leading." This progression reveals an escalating intensity and personalization of God's love and care. It assures that God not only watches over His people but deeply, actively, and specifically intervenes for each individual, especially those at their most vulnerable. This level of individualized, tender care underscores the profound security and comfort available to believers, contrasting sharply with any worldly power or even human shepherd, who could never match such perfect attention. The "bosom" imagery echoes a parental, almost maternal, tenderness, reinforcing the deeply nurturing aspect of God's character.

Isaiah 40 11 Commentary

Isaiah 40:11 offers a profound and multi-faceted comfort to a people feeling desolate. It reveals Yahweh not only as the transcendent Creator (as described in the surrounding verses) but also as the immanent, compassionate Shepherd. This image is not merely one of generic oversight; it is one of meticulous, individualized, and tender care. The "shepherd" role denotes active provision and protection for the entire "flock." However, the verse particularizes this care for the "lambs" and "those that are with young," the weakest and most dependent members. "Gathering" the lambs in "His arms" and carrying them "in His bosom" paints a picture of intense personal affection, strong security, and a warmth that goes beyond mere functionality—it is parental love. "Gently leading" those "with young" highlights God's incredible patience and understanding, adapting His pace to their limitations, rather than driving them forward mercilessly. This verse implicitly assures the exiles that despite their scattering and weakness, God's promise to gather, protect, and guide them back would be fulfilled with unwavering love and power. The ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy is found in Jesus Christ, who identifies as the Good Shepherd (John 10), laying down His life for His sheep and carrying His church through all their frailties and challenges, just as Isaiah foretold.

Examples:

• A new believer, feeling overwhelmed by spiritual concepts, finding God's patient guidance through scripture.
• Someone suffering deep grief, experiencing comfort and being carried by God's presence through prayer and community.
• Parents juggling family responsibilities with faith, sensing God's gentle pace as they navigate life's challenges.